Can't Let You Go Even if I Had to
by Kuronohime
Summary: Lantis tries to distance himself from Hikaru, but can't bear to witness a moment of tenderness between Eagle and the Fire knight. Lantis x Hikaru x Eagle


**A/N**:_ I actually found this random childish bundle of glitter paste when I was organizing my art folder. I have no recollection of ever writing this, but since I haven't published anything as of late, I figured that this was better than nothing. I think that this dates back to when I was about 17 and a HUGE fan of Rayearth and Clamp. This is pretty much in the original form I wrote it back then - I merely corrected my miserable grammar and polished out some sentences. I have no intention of continuing this, because… this is so void of any idea there's really not much point continuing. But to all those who are in a need of mindless sugar - have it here, cavity free!_

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><p>Lantis was walking around the castle lost deep in his thoughts. What was happening? Who or what was Lady Debonair? Could he help Eagle anymore? And the thing that plagued him the most - what was the link between Nova and Hikaru? Hikaru…<p>

He halted in front of a window. His eyes sought out to the sky which unfolded above and he saw the distant lights of the battleship of Autozam.

"Perhaps I should visit Eagle?" Lantis thought.

He turned on his heels and walked towards the room where Eagle was held. He stopped as he reached a large door which was left ajar. As he was softly pushing it open he heard a tender voice coming from the room.

"Hikaru?" Lantis mused. What was the fire knight doing there? He wasn't quite sure why he felt the need to disguise himself invisible, but all the same, he listened to his instincts. Then he slipped inside.

The room was dark and he sneaked closer to a candelabra that was casting a light on the events of the room. A young, small build, woman was standing before the commander of the battleship of Autozam.

Hikaru was looking intensely at Eagle with a stern look on her features. "There's no reasoning with you… You just won't listen!" She sighed. Eagle had a weak smile on his face as he answered "There's really no reason for you to worry over me."

Hikaru sat down on the bed that was one of the few furniture in the room he was held captive. "Eagle… I don't wish to be enemies with you. Truly, I don't! But if you will not command your men to stop the attacks. There's really no way for me to be friends with you." Her auburn eyes were filled with tears and she looked up. "Please, I beg you! You will find a way to help Autozam. But believe me, this is not it!"

Eagle shook his head. "The pillar… has the ultimate power in this world. And with that power, Autozam will be saved." The fire knight leapt off the bed and grabbed the commander's hand. "You would do that?" Her breath was chocked up. "Y-you want to sacrifice yourself? I know that you are even ready to die for your country, but there are worse things than death. You… You wouldn't be allowed to… love. Ever." A salty trail gleamed on her cheek.

Eagle opened his mouth as to say something, but instead his hand rose up to wipe off the tears from Hikaru's face. Her auburn met his shimmering gold. Hikaru could feel how the steady beating in her chest turned more demanding. Eagle slipped his hand behind her head to caress her neck. Hikaru intuitively pressed her body close to the young man's body. Eagle closed her inside his embrace and there was something powerful yet fragile between them.

Lantis felt how a hot surge of jealous venom rushed through his veins. Had he pushed Hikaru away from him for good? He had been very confused after Hikaru had confessed her love for him. But he hadn't meant to let go of her. He definitely did NOT want her to seek console from the man that once had been his best friend. Lantis felt torn up. He didn't know what he even wanted. But he was sure that he did have some very strong feelings for that young woman. But it was appearing that soon it would be futile to tell her of his feelings. Especially if she was falling for Eagle.

Eagle was still holding Hikaru in his reassuring arms. He had wanted to tell her that there probably existed no woman that could make him fall in love. But as he held her quivering body to his, he wasn't sure if that statement hold true anymore. The sight of her soft lips awakened a foreign sensation inside him. Lust? Was it more than that?

A voice inside told him to give in to that newfound feeling he had for Hikaru. It told him to kiss her. To be with her. That's the real reason she had come to see him. Not to warn him. Not to preach at him. But to be with him. Right?

Hikaru saw how the strangely intense gaze of his glided down to her lips. It caressed her cheeks, her nose, the arch of her lips… Then she realized that she had actually dreamt about this moment. In truth, she had been curious about the touch of his mouth on hers for a while now.

"The pillar… can't engage in things like this." She whispered.

"I haven't done anything." He pointed out, smiling teasingly.

"Oh, and you weren't going to?"

Eagle knew that her drawn out whisper was to tease him back, but she was still right. The warmth of Hikaru's body wanted to make him forget every thought of the pillar system. At least for that one moment.

Eagle lifted her chin up and studied her eyes. Then he enveloped her young, sweet lips with his own. Hikaru's eyes drifted close and she parted her lips. There was not a soul in Cephiro that would have believed what was happening in that room. The commander of Autozam's battleship NSX and the legendary Magic Knight from another dimension had crossed time and space to touch one another. Lose their sorrow in a bittersweet forbidden kiss.

Eagle glided his hand to Hikaru's back and pulled her tighter in to their kiss. His hands made wonderful discoveries on her body in places that would have been enough reason for her brothers to skin him alive.

Lantis felt his chest ache, his breath troublesome. Never had he wanted to inflict pain on Eagle as much as he did then, watching him hold Hikaru. This was beyond his tolerance. There was no hesitation in his mind. If he had known any curses, he would have lashed them all out on Eagle. The uncontrollable anger inside drove him mad with jealous haze. He was very close to doing something irredeemably foolish. And suddenly it became clear to him. He was in love with Hikaru.

And it meant that **he** was the only man allowed to kiss her. In fact, the only man allowed to touch her. As if suddenly the universe had echoed his fury, the castle started to rumble. Hikaru pulled away from the kiss as if lighting struck. "The NSX!" She gasped. Eagle looked at her, feeling unexpected sadness in the lack of her warmth and in the light of the fact that she was still his enemy.

Hikaru didn't look back as she rushed out of the room. The dull resonance of her footsteps rang in Eagles ears as the commander watched her disappear into the hallway. "Damnit!" He yelled after her and slumped on the bed. Everything would have been clear and simple had he not met Hikaru. His duty lay in being the pillar of Cephiro, but yet… Love?

Lantis gave a final glance at the sad figure at the edge of the bed before he followed Hikaru. When he entered the hallway he reversed the invisibility spell and chased after her. He needed to speak with Hikaru. The grand windows on the hallway wall laid out an ominous scenery against the darkening sky. A large battleship was invading the castle's space before Rayearth attacked it fiercely. Trying to protect the castle and all the precious people it held inside. Soon Windam and Celes raced to the side of the fire knight.

Lantis halted in front of a window. Crimson sunlight played on his face and metal crashing against metal made everything blindingly bright for a moment. What would become of Cephiro?


End file.
